For Apache Webserver

Why you need security for your website

The Internet has created many new global business opportunities for enterprises conducting online commerce. However, the many security risks associated with conducting e-commerce have resulted in security becoming a major factor for online success or failure.

Over the past 7 years, consumer magazines, industry bodies and security providers have educated the market on the basics of online security. The majority of consumers now expect security to be integrated into any online service they use, as a result they expect any details they provide via the Internet to remain confidential and integral. For many customers, the only time they will ever consider buying your products or services online is when they are satisfied their details are secure.

This guide explains how you can utilize InstantSSL to activate the core security technology available on your existing webserver. You will also learn how InstantSSL allows you to protect your customer's transactions and provide visitors with proof of your digital identity - essential factors in gaining confidence in your services and identity.

Using InstantSSL Certificates to secure your online transactions tells your customers you take their security seriously. They will visibly see that their online transaction will be secure, confidential and integral and give them the confidence that you have removed the risk associated with trading over the Internet.

Using Security helps you realize the benefits of online commerce:

" Cost effectiveness of online operations and delivery
" Open global markets - gain customers from all over the world
" New and exciting ways of marketing directly to your customers
" Offer new data products and services via the Web

Only if you have visibly secured your site with SSL security technology will your customers have confidence in your online operations. Read on to learn how SSL helps you achieve the confidence essential to successful e-commerce.

What is SSL?

Secure Sockets Layer, SSL, is the standard security technology for creating an encrypted link between a web server and a browser. This link ensures that all data passed between the web server and browser remain private and integral. SSL is an industry standard and is used by millions of websites in the protection of their online transactions with their customers. In order to be able to generate an SSL link, a web server requires an SSL Certificate.

When you choose to activate SSL on your webserver you will be prompted to complete a number of questions about the identity of your website (e.g. your website's URL) and your company (e.g. your company's name and location). Your webserver then creates two cryptographic keys - a Private Key and a Public Key. Your Private Key is so called for a reason - it must remain private and secure. The Public Key does not need to be secret and is placed into a Certificate Signing Request (CSR) - a data file also containing your details. You should then submit the CSR during the SSL Certificate application process Comodo, the InstantSSL Certification Authority, who will validate your details and issue an SSL Certificate containing your details and allowing you to use SSL.

Your webserver will match your issued SSL Certificate to your Private Key. Your webserver will then be able to establish an encrypted link between the website and your customer's web browser.

For detailed application and installation instructions please refer to section "Step by step instructions to set up SSL on your webserver" of this guide.


Displaying the SSL secure padlock


The complexities of the SSL protocol remain invisible to your customers. Instead their browsers provide them with a key indicator to let them know they are currently protected by an SSL encrypted session - the Padlock:




As seen by users of Internet Explorer


Clicking on the Padlock displays your SSL Certificate and your details:




As seen by users of Internet Explorer

All SSL Certificates are issued to either companies or legally accountable individuals. Typically an SSL Certificate will contain your domain name, your company name, your address, your city, your state and your country. It will also contain the expiry date of the Certificate and details of the Certification Authority responsible for the issuance of the Certificate.

When a browser connects to a secure site it will retrieve the site's SSL Certificate and check that it has not expired, it has been issued by a Certification Authority the browser trusts, and that it is being used by the website for which it has been issued. If it fails on any one of these checks the browser will display a warning to the end user.

Why should you use an InstantSSL Certificate?


Comodo, the Certification Authority behind InstantSSL, is the fastest growing SSL Provider in the world. Unlike other Certification Authorities, Comodo does not just provide SSL Certificates - they are a world-renowned security and cryptography service provider. When you are a customer of Comodo, you can feel safe knowing that your website security is provided by experts.

InstantSSL Certificates are the most cost-effective fully validated and fully supported 128 bit SSL Certificates you can buy today! You can contact the technical support team between 3am- 7pm EST (soon to be 24 hours). You can also feel safe in the knowledge that Comodo will validate your application in accordance with the latest digital signature legislation pertaining to Qualified Certificates. This validation is done effectively and quickly, ensuring you need not wait the traditional 3 working days normally associated with a fully validated SSL Certificate.

InstantSSL boasts industry leading browser ubiquity - comparable to Verisign and Thawte, however without the costs associated with other SSL Providers. InstantSSL Certificates are compatible with over 99% of browsers - including Internet Explorer 5.00 and above, Netscape 4.5 and above, AOL 6 and above and Opera 5.00 and above.

InstantSSL benefits summary:

InstantSSL Certificates are the most cost effective SSL Certificates you can buy which include:

" Full validation conducted quickly - in many cases you can expect your SSL Certificate to be issued within minutes
" Telephone, email, web support available 3am - 7pm EST
" Over 99.3% browser compatibility
" 128 bit strong encryption security
" Backed by warranties ranging from $50 to $10,000

InstantSSL Certificates provide you with the key to successfully using SSL on your webserver.


Testing your webserver before you buy -
Try an SSL Certificate for free


Trial SSL Certificates provide full SSL functionality for 30 days and are fully supported by our expert technical support staff. Unlike test Certificates from other CAs, InstantSSL trial Certificates are issued using the same Trusted Root CA that issues our end-entity SSL Certificates and provides 99% browser ubiquity, and NOT by a different test CA. This unique service helps you fully test your system prior to your live roll out.

Trial SSL Certificates are ideal for anyone requiring proof of ease of installation, confirmation of high quality technical support and also confirmation of compatibility with the majority of the browsers that exist today. Trial SSL Certificates are also ideal for practicing with Certificates and learning about SSL implementation before committing to installing a Certificate on your live system.


Get your free 30 day trial SSL Certificate

Step by step instructions to set up SSL on your
Apache webserver


There are four stages to setting up SSL on your Apache webserver:

1. Create a Certificate Signing Request (CSR)
2. Apply online
3. Installing your Certificate
4. Displaying your Secure Site Seal

1. Generating a Certificate Signing Request (CSR)

A CSR is a file containing your certificate application information, including your Public Key. Generate your CSR and then copy and paste the CSR file into the webform in the enrollment process:

Generate keys and certificate:

To generate a pair of private key and public Certificate Signing Request (CSR) for a webserver, "server", use the following command :

openssl req -new -nodes -keyout myserver.key -out server.csr

This creates two files. The file myserver.key contains a private key; do not disclose this file to anyone. Carefully protect the private key.

In particular, be sure to backup the private key, as there is no means to recover it should it be lost. The private key is used as input in the command to generate a Certificate Signing Request (CSR).

You will now be asked to enter details to be entered into your CSR
.
What you are about to enter is what is called a Distinguished Name or a DN.

For some fields there will be a default value, If you enter '.', the field will be left blank.

-----
Country Name (2 letter code) [AU]: GB
State or Province Name (full name) [Some-State]: Yorks
Locality Name (eg, city) []: York
Organization Name (eg, company) [Internet Widgits Pty Ltd]: MyCompany Ltd
Organizational Unit Name (eg, section) []: IT
Common Name (eg, YOUR name) []: mysubdomain.mydomain.com
Email Address []:

Please enter the following 'extra' attributes to be sent with your certificate request

A challenge password []:
An optional company name []:
-----

Use the name of the webserver as Common Name (CN). If the domain name is mydomain.com append the domain to the hostname (use the fully qualified domain name).

The fields email address, optional company name and challenge password can be left blank for a webserver certificate.

Your CSR will now have been created. Open the server.csr in a text editor and copy and paste the contents into the online enrollment form when requested.


2. Applying for your InstantSSL Certificate Online

Visit www.instantssl.com and select your SSL Certificate product type. You will be required to submit the CSR into a webform. When you make your application, make sure you include the CSR in its entirety into the appropriate section of the enrollment form. When you view your CSR it will appear something like:

-----BEGIN NEW CERTIFICATE REQUEST-----
MIIDVjCCAr8CAQAwezEdMBsGA1UEAxMUd3d3Lm15ZG9tYWlubmFtZS5jb20xDDAK
BgNVBAsT A1dlYjEaMBgGA1UEChMRWW91ciBDb21wYW55IE5hbWUxEDAOBgNVBAcT
B015IENpdHkxETAPBgNVBAgTCE15IFN0 YXRlMQswCQYDVQQGEwJVUzCBnzANBgkq
hkiG9w0BAQEFAAOBjQAwgYkCgYEAuev9LnSRX/6u5Iz7ckpt0IG4DwnA F/lsksJ0
n5r9w1EK9Np5/OJEt72r5es3nie5rTKo3O4yvSLovkS0vqT+iOlEZvl5B4mXTEPw
fDLjEcwcNb8S CJ4ArUAhHKJWHDKJHDKDA6587568gfhjfjFHGFHFhsgGHJGJjhhj
HFD^TGFrYTrYTrfGHI&DHJKDHkjwjkkg AgcwCgYIKoZIhvcNHKJHFrytDETR$456
AwcwEwYDVR0lBAwwCgYIKwYBBQUHAwEwgf0GCisGAQQBgjcNAgIxge4w gesCAQEe
WgBNAGkAYwByAG8AcwBvAGYAdAAgAFIAUwBBACAAUwBDAGgAYQBuAG4AZQBsAC67
QwByAHkAcAB0 AG8AZwByAGEAcABoAGkAYwAgAFAAcgBvAHYAaQBkAGUAcgOBiQCq
EH3QppP7Ewuz6oh4EUXMbKdqieAcbQ52iFSX qQ/n1xAtEpVUfjIM3exr42EhyYlr
lV7cpUKbSr/eQ6c/hjiUi17EpvleBBV0BkFWsWzJoShx0BmOKvDnKINNQC3J ya+M
N/t9axyuCwdUYJiLglNnjcBLSxL/6hovXNDLuCLgMAAAAAAAAAAAMA0GCSqGSIb3
DQEBBQUAA4GBAEQT 6Pwj0BHeOUw+AR0GAT30q+1OYNkr341CouMC6M7KqlKgVZDV
tRes4uz1Yf8+WRCutVvDByrey+CdgzJzHvHqS6lA j2swx8QadclVWOkZfH//k/KE
1MiOEb6c3Mp1ECorjIm+HRN20Qga+dnDBOowyRYn7Vz+NKar88mrJwk/
-----END NEW CERTIFICATE REQUEST-----

Be sure to copy the CSR text in its entirety into the application form, including the:

-----BEGIN CERTIFICATE REQUEST----- and -----END CERTIFICATE REQUEST-----


3. Installing your InstantSSL Certificate

Step one: Copy your certificate to file

You will receive an email from Comodo Security Services with the certificate in the email (yourdomainname.crt). When viewed in a text editor, your certificate will look something like:

-----BEGIN CERTIFICATE-----
MIIDVjCCAr8CAQAwezEdMBsGA1UEAxMUd3d3L m15ZG9tYWlubmFtZS5jb20xDDAK
BgNVBAsTA1dlYjEaMBgGA1UEChMRWW91ciBDb21wYW55IE5hbWUxEDAOBgN VBAcT
B015IENpdHkxETAPBgNVBAgTCE15IFN0YXRlMQswCQYDVQQGEwJVUzCBnzANBgkq
hkiG9w0BAQEFA AOBjQAwgYkCgYEAuev9LnSRX/6u5Iz7ckpt0IG4DwnAF/lsksJ0
n5r9w1EK9Np5/OJEt72r5es3nie5rTKo3O4 yvSLovkS0vqT+iOlEZvl5B4mXTEPw
fDLjEcwcNb8SCJ4ArUAhHKJWHDKJHDKDA6587568gfhjfjFHGFHFhsgGH JGJjhhj
HFD^TGFrYTrYTrfGHI&DHJKDHkjwjkkgAgcwCgYIKoZIhvcNHKJHFrytDETR$456
AwcwEwY DVR0lBAwwCgYIKwYBBQUHAwEwgf0GCisGAQQBgjcNAgIxge4wgesCAQEe
WgBNAGkAYwByAG8AcwBvAGYAdAAgA FIAUwBBACAAUwBDAGgAYQBuAG4AZQBsAC67
QwByAHkAcAB0AG8AZwByAGEAcABoAGkAYwAgAFAAcgBvAHYAaQB kAGUAcgOBiQCq
EH3QppP7Ewuz6oh4EUXMbKdqieAcbQ52iFSXqQ/n1xAtEpVUfjIM3exr42EhyYlr
lV7cp UKbSr/eQ6c/hjiUi17EpvleBBV0BkFWsWzJoShx0BmOKvDnKINNQC3Jya+M
N/t9axyuCwdUYJiLglNnjcBLSxL /6hovXNDLuCLgMAAAAAAAAAAAMA0GCSqGSIb3
DQEBBQUAA4GBAEQT6Pwj0BHeOUw+AR0GAT30q+1OYNkr341Co uMC6M7KqlKgVZDV
tRes4uz1Yf8+WRCutVvDByrey+CdgzJzHvHqS6lAj2swx8QadclVWOkZfH //k/KE
1MiOEb6c3Mp1ECorjIm+HRN20Qga+dnDBOowyRYn7Vz+NKar88mrJwk/
-----END CERTIFICATE-----

Copy your Certificate into the directory that you will be using to hold your certificates. In this example we will use /etc/ssl/crt/. Both the public and private key files will already be in this directory. The private key used in the example will be labelled private.key and the public key will be yourdomainname.crt.

It is recommended that you make the directory that contains the private key file only readable by root.

Step two: Install the Intermediate Certificates

You will need to install the chain certificates (intermediates) in order for browsers to trust your certificate. As well as your SSL certificate (yourdomainname.crt) two other certificates, named GTECyberTrustRootCA.crt and ComodoClass3SecurityServicesCA.crt, are also attached to the email from Comodo Security Services.

Apache users will not require these certificates. Instead you can install the intermediate certificates using the following 'bundle' method. In the Virtual Host settings for your site, in the httpd.conf file, you will need to complete the following:

1. Copy the below ca-bundle file to the same directory as httpd.conf(this contains all of the CA certificates in the chain).

-----BEGIN CERTIFICATE-----
MIIB+jCCAWMCAgGjMA0GCSqGSIb3DQEBBAUAMEUxCzAJBgNVBAYTAl VTMRgwFgYD
VQQKEw9HVEUgQ29ycG9yYXRpb24xHDAaBgNVBAMTE0dURSBDeWJlclRydXN0IFJv
b3QwHh cNOTYwMjIzMjMwMTAwWhcNMDYwMjIzMjM1OTAwWjBFMQswCQYDVQQGEwJV
UzEYMBYGA1UEChMPR1RFIENvcn BvcmF0aW9uMRwwGgYDVQQDExNHVEUgQ3liZXJU
cnVzdCBSb290MIGfMA0GCSqGSIb3DQEBAQUAA4GNADCBiQ KBgQC45k+625h8cXyv
RLfTD0bZZOWTwUKOx7pJjTUteueLveUFMVnGsS8KDPufpz+iCWaEVh43KRuH6X4M
ypqfpX/1FZSj1aJGgthoTNE3FQZor734sLPwKfWVWgkWYXcKIiXUT0Wqx73llt/5
1KiOQswkwB6RJ0q1 bQaAYznEol44AwIDAQABMA0GCSqGSIb3DQEBBAUAA4GBABKz
dcZfHeFhVYAA1IFLezEPI2PnPfMD+fQ2qLvZ4 6WXTeorKeDWanOB5sCJo9Px4KWl
IjeaY8JIILTbcuPI9tl8vrGvU9oUtCG41tWW4/5ODFlitppK+ULdjG+BqX H/9Apy
bW1EDp3zdHSo1TRJ6V6e6bR64eVaH4QwnNOfpSXY
-----END CERTIFICATE-----
-----BEGIN CERTIFICATE-----
MIIEyDCCBDGgAwIBAgIEAgACmzANBgkqhkiG9w0BAQUFADBFMQswCQYDVQQGEwJV
UzEYMBYGA1UEChMPR1RFIENvcnBvcmF0aW9uMRwwGgYDVQQDExNHVEUgQ3liZXJU
cnVzdCBSb290MB4XDTAyM DgyNzE5MDcwMFoXDTA2MDIyMzIzNTkwMFowgdwxCzAJ
BgNVBAYTAkdCMRcwFQYDVQQKEw5Db21vZG8gTGltaX RlZDEdMBsGA1UECxMUQ29t
b2RvIFRydXN0IE5ldHdvcmsxRjBEBgNVBAsTPVRlcm1zIGFuZCBDb25kaXRpb25 z
IG9mIHVzZTogaHR0cDovL3d3dy5jb21vZG8ubmV0L3JlcG9zaXRvcnkxHzAdBgNV
BAsTFihjKTIwMDIg Q29tb2RvIExpbWl0ZWQxLDAqBgNVBAMTI0NvbW9kbyBDbGFz
cyAzIFNlY3VyaXR5IFNlcnZpY2VzIENBMIIBI jANBgkqhkiG9w0BAQEFAAOCAQ8A
MIIBCgKCAQEAsR5gZuBDBp4naC8CmceI34Xr22Xs1Elnei4fzdwVLNYerP KdRjpd
A8A9BSxaGA1ZJUKjcsCtKNKtPDHiSwf7XpjrqDPWabJanuosSaYmLkzwzKtA0qre
LE6Btbp7uFz Qe71H9cAG0sDk10fbYkCvoRxRAxjbuNC7lMc8eeolZK4mGeE8Zkdn
kp17Vas0wnVu2SeOnYzwHdprnIYEopC1 6p2Mz/s5Q6jwGC2e9xkQLJwv4dCx/9dZ
xM1AMvnXgdtRHPJBUoFBsYO4yAn+mSJHgE+cy67gKNUcrHBHsCWro ThCF2v6am6N
X3n49ikDMKRuRtSFXapAmTh22x4BfeUMpQIDAQABo4IBpzCCAaMwRQYDVR0fBD4w
PDA6oD igNoY0a HR0cDovL3d3dy5wdWJsaWMtdHJ1c3Qu Y29tL2NnaS1iaW4vQ1JM
LzIwMDYvY2RwLmNybDAdBgNVH Q4EFgQU9lIiFxUTCANZvxiVn0i0uen++GYwgZIG
A1UdIASBijCBhzBJBgoqhkiG+GMBAgEFMDswOQYIKwYBBQ UHAgEWLWh0dHA6Ly93
d3cucHVibGljLXRydXN0LmNvbS9DUFMvT21uaVJvb3QuaHRtbDA6BgwrBgEEAbIx
AQIBAwEwKjAoBggrBgEFBQcCARYcaHR0cHM6Ly9zZWN1cmUuY29tb2RvLm5ldC9D
UDBYBgNVHSMEUTBPoUmkRz BFMQswCQYDVQQGEwJVUzEYMBYGA1UEChMPR1RFIENv
cnBvcmF0aW9uMRwwGgYDVQQDExNHVEUgQ3liZXJUcnVz dCBSb290ggIBozArBgNV
HRAEJDAigA8yMDAyMDgyNzE5MDczMVqBDzIwMDUwMjIzMjM1OTAwWjAOBgNVHQ8B
Af8EBAMCAeYwDwYDVR0TBAgwBgEB/wIBADANBgkqhkiG9w0BAQUFAAOBgQC2p7B6
cYvgurOBHjYyeoYY1vGrTTk IcQZaZ6BLAeUwQG2JtZ4VqrHH9ArGXA7pN96ol8fc
zs1x+3QCB9xfFScIUwd21LkG6cJ3UB7KybDCRoGAAK1Eql zWINlVMr5WlvHqvaDj
vA2AOurM+5pX7XilNj1W6tHndMo0w8+xUengDA==
-----END CERTIFICATE-----


2. Add the following line to SSL section of the httpd.conf (assuming /etc/httpd/conf is the directory to where you have copied the ca.txt file). if the line already exists amend it to read the following:

SSLCACertificateFile /etc/httpd/conf/ca-bundle/ca.txt

If you are using a different location and certificate file names you will need to change the path and filename to reflect your server.

The SSL section of the updated httpd config file should now read similar to this example (depending on your naming and directories used):

SSLCertificateFile /etc/ssl/crt/yourdomainname.crt

SSLCertificateKeyFile /etc/ssl/crt/private.key

SSLCACertificateFile /etc/httpd/conf/ca-bundle/ca_new.txt

Save your httpd.conf file and restart Apache.


4. Displaying your Secure Site Seal

As a valued InstantSSL customer we encourage you to display the InstantSSL secure site seal to help promote your secure site to customers. The secure site seal is free to all InstantSSL customers.